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Gabby shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. “But I’m not the same. I can’t do the things I used to.”
“You may not be the same on the outside. But on the inside, you’re still Gabby Allen.” Playboy insisted. “Who told you that you couldn’t do the things you did prior to this?”
“Nobody. I mean, I just assumed.”
“Gabby, the medical world has come so far in prosthetics. I wouldn’t doubt if there was anything that you couldn’t do. We’ll figure this out together, one step at a time. I’m not going anywhere. I care about you because of who you are, not for what you can or can’t do.”
She looked at him, searching his eyes for any hint of doubt or pity. But she wasn’t going to find it.
“I don’t deserve you,” she whispered.
“Yes, you do,” he replied, his voice soft but firm. “You deserve all the love and happiness in the world, Gabby. And I’m going to be here every step of the way, helping you find that.”
Gabby’s lip quivered as she fought back more tears. “What if I can’t…what if I can’t be who I was?”
“Then we’ll find a new version of you,” Playboy said gently, a small smile playing on his lips. “One that is just as amazing, if not more. You’re not defined by what you’ve lost, Gabby. Your spirit, your courage, and your heart define you. And those things are still very much a part of you.”
???
Gabby closed her eyes, taking in his words. For the first time since she had woken up earlier in the day, a glimmer of hope sparked within her.
“I’m scared,” she admitted.
“I’m sure you are,” Playboy said, brushing a tear from her cheek. “But you don’t have to face this alone. I’m here, and I’ll always will be.”
Gabby opened her eyes, seeing the sincerity and love in his. “Thank you,” she whispered.
He leaned in, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. “No thanks needed. We’re in this together. Always.”
As they sat there, hand in hand, Gabby felt a tiny but significant shift inside her. She wasn’t alone, and with Playboy by her side, maybe she could overcome this horrific situation and face whatever challenges lay ahead.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Gabby leaned heavily against the wall of the elevator, her body screaming at her to stop. Every muscle ached, the residual strain of pushing herself through another grueling physical therapy session. Five days. It had only been five days since she woke up from the coma, and she was already determined to start training again. The doctors told her to take it slow and not overdo it, but that wasn’t an option for her. In a few days, they said she could be fitted for her prosthetic and might even be walking again. And if everything went well, she could be out of this hospital sometime next week.
But she was sotired.
It wasn’t just from the therapy, though that was its own kind of exhaustion. She hadn’t been sleeping. And she hadn’t told anyone. Not the doctors, not her parents, and definitely not Playboy. The sleepless nights were starting to wear on her, making every ache worse, every emotion sharper.
Beside her, Drew, her physical therapist, cast a glance in her direction. He’d been walking her back to her room after each session, probably because he could tell she was pushing too hard. Gabby could sense him about to say something, his concern radiating in the tightness of his jaw.
“You overdid it again, Gabby,” he said, keeping his voice low but firm. “You’re going to regret this tomorrow. You need to start listening to your body.”
“I’m fine,” she snapped, her patience thinning. She immediately regretted the tone but didn’t have the energy to smooth it over. Instead, she focused on the floor numbersticking down, counting how close she was to her room. To maybe—just maybe—getting some rest.
Drew sighed but didn’t push further. He knew when to back off, and for that, she was grateful. Her moods had been all over the place these last few days, swinging wildly from frustration to guilt to anger and then back to guilt again. She hated how unpredictable she’d become, but she couldn’t help it.
The elevator finally reached her floor, and as Drew helped her navigate the short walk to her room, all Gabby could think about was lying down and shutting her eyes for just a few minutes. Sleep had been elusive, but maybe today would be different. She needed it to be.
But when Drew pushed open the door to her room, Gabby froze. Her mom and dad were standing near the window, smiling at her with cautious optimism. And next to them, leaning casually against the bed, was Playboy, his eyes lighting up the moment he saw her. Not just them, though—her entire team was also there, clustered around the room like they were waiting for some grand reveal.
“Surprise!” her mom said, beaming.
Gabby’s stomach twisted. She forced a smile, but it felt thin, strained. This wasn’t what she needed right now. She was exhausted, her body barely holding together, and all she could think about was collapsing into bed. Instead, she was being greeted like a hero returning from battle.
She looked around the room. Where in the hell did all the flowers and balloons suddenly come from?
“Hey, guys,” Gabby said, trying to sound upbeat as she moved into the room. She hugged her mom and dad briefly before her gaze flicked to Playboy, who gave her that familiar grin. Normally, that grin would have melted some of her tension, but today, it just grated against her nerves.
